IndyCar: Rahal tops final practice at Gateway

Graham Rahal was the fastest driver overall in the final practice Friday evening, turning a top lap of 177.728 mph in the No. 15 iPacket Honda.

Rahal will start 13th Saturday.

AR1 spoke with Rahal after the final practice.   “I think we got through a big task list of things tonight, which is our goal.  Right now, trying to recover in the way that we are  throughout this year, you have to try a ton of things to improve the car.”

“Obviously it got cooler as the session was going on there.  Which helps a lot.  Still, to do that pace, I was surprised, frankly.”

“I thought the track got a little bit better as it went on there.  Generally, I thought the track, all day has been pretty solid. I don’t think it was a lot of that.  I think we just made some good changes at the end to help.”

AR1 asked if he tried the second line.  ‘I did.  And I ran the second line my whole first stint.” Rahal replied.   “But these other guys have to do it also.  If they are not going to, it gets marblely.   I could feel it by the end of my run, when I would start to go high, if I was the only guy, it was bad.”

“The other drivers need to run it too. And I am going to say that to a couple of guys. Because we need to make it a good show for the fans also.  And by running it, it will keep it cleaner and it will allow us to use that lane.”

Jimmie Johnson spun entering the pits with about one minute remaining in the practice, brushing the wall with his nosecone.

Practice 2 Results